Clear Lake Rotary Scholarship 5K "Hot Cocoa Hustle"

Clear Lake Rotary Scholarship 5K "Hot Cocoa Hustle" is held in Clear Lake, Iowa, on November 7, 2026, with the single 5K starting at 9:00 a.m. over 3.1 miles. One distance and one start time make for an uncomplicated morning, and the scholarship in the name tells you where the entry money is headed.

Early-November mornings in northern Iowa can be cold, and that matters more than it sounds for a short race: arrive early enough to jog 10 to 15 minutes, add a few strides, and keep a layer on until close to the start. The distance itself is accessible to almost anyone with a few weeks of regular walking or running behind them. If you are racing it, the middle mile is where the time goes — hold your effort there rather than drifting.